madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第52节
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very remarkable and famous old gentleman； who is a great adept at
digging； and at landscape gardening likewise； and he has dug out a path
for himself through the chalk； which we shall take the liberty of using also。
And his name； if you wish to know it； is Father Thames。
I see him。 What a great river！
Yes。 Here he comes； gleaming and winding down from Oxford； over
the lowlands； past Wallingford； but where he is going to it is not so easy to
see。
Ah； here is chalk in the cutting at last。 And what a high bridge。 And
the river far under our feet。 Why we are crossing him again！
Yes； he winds more sharply than a railroad can。 But is not this
prettier than a tunnel？
Oh； what hanging…woods； and churches； and such great houses； and
pretty cottages and gardensall in this narrow crack of a valley！
Ay。 Old Father Thames is a good landscape gardener； as I said。 There
is Basildonand Hurleyand Pangbourne； with its roaring lasher。 Father
Thames has had to work hard for many an age before he could cut this
trench right through the chalk； and drain the water out of the flat vale
behind us。 But I suspect the sea helped him somewhat； or perhaps a great
deal； just where we are now。
The sea？
Yes。 The sea was onceand that not so very long agoright up here；
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beyond Reading。 This is the uppermost end of the great Thames valley；
which must have been an estuarya tide flat； like the mouth of the Severn；
with the sea eating along at the foot of all the hills。 And if the land sunk
only some fifty feet；which is a very little indeed； child； in this huge；
ever…changing world；then the tide would come up to Reading again； and
the greater part of London and the county of Middlesex be drowned in salt
water。
How dreadful that would be！
Dreadful indeed。 God grant that it may never happen。 More terrible
changes of land and water have happened； and are happening still in the
world： but none； I think； could happen which would destroy so much
civilisation and be such a loss to mankind； as that the Thames valley
should become again what it was； geologically speaking； only the other
day； when these gravel banks； over which we are running to Reading； were
being washed out of the chalk cliffs up above at every tide； and rolled on a
beach； as you have seen them rolling still at Ramsgate。
Now here we are at Reading。 There is the carriage waiting； and away
we are off home； and when we get home； and have seen everybody and
everything； we will look over our section once more。
But remember； that when you ran through the chalk hills to Reading；
you passed from the bottom of the chalk to the top of it； on to the Thames
gravels； which lie there on the chalk； and on to the London clay； which lies
on the chalk also； with the Thames gravels always over it。 So that； you
see； the newest layers； the London clay and the gravels； are lower in height
than the limestone cliffs at Bristol； and much lower than the old mountain
ranges of Devonshire and Wales； though in geological order they are far
higher； and there are whole worlds of strata； rocks and clays； one on the
other； between the Thames gravels and the Devonshire hills。
But how about our moors？ They are newer still； you said； than the
London clay； because they lie upon it： and yet they are much higher than
we are here at Reading。
Very well said： so they are； two or three hundred feet higher。 But our
part of them was left behind； standing up in banks； while the valley of the
Thames was being cut out by the sea。 Once they spread all over where
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
we stand now； and away behind us beyond Newbury in Berkshire； and
away in front of us； all over where London now stands。
How can you tell that？
Because there are little capslittle patchesof them left on the tops of
many hills to the north of London； just remnants which the sea； and the
Thames； and the rain have not eaten down。 Probably they once stretched
right out to sea； sloping slowly under the waves； where the mouth of the
Thames is now。 You know the sand… cliffs at Bournemouth？
Of course。
Then those are of the same age as the Bagshot sands； and lie on the
London clay； and slope down off the New Forest into the sea； which eats
them up； as you know； year by year and day by day。 And here were once
perhaps cliffs just like them； where London Bridge now stands。
* * *
There； we are rumbling away home at last； over the dear old heather…
moors。 How far we have travelledin our fancy at least since we began
to talk about all these things； upon the foggy November day； and first saw
Madam How digging at the sand…banks with her water…spade。 How
many countries we have talked of； and what wonderful questions we have
got answered； which all grew out of the first question； How were the
heather…moors made？ And yet we have not talked about a hundredth part
of the things about which these very heather…moors ought to set us
thinking。 But so it is； child。 Those who wish honestly to learn the laws
of Madam How； which we call Nature； by looking honestly at what she
does； which we call Fact； have only to begin by looking at the very
smallest thing； pin's head or pebble； at their feet； and it may lead them
whither； they cannot tell。 To answer any one question； you find you must
answer another； and to answer that you must answer a third； and then a
fourth； and so on for ever and ever。
For ever and ever？
Of course。 If we thought and searched over the Universeay； I
believe； only over this one little planet called earthfor millions on
millions of years； we should not get to the end of our searching。 The
more we learnt； the more we should find there was left to learn。 All
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things； we should find； are constituted according to a Divine and
Wonderful Order； which links each thing to every other thing； so that we
cannot fully comprehend any one thing without comprehending all things：
and who can do that； save He who made all things？ Therefore our true
wisdom is never to fancy that we do comprehend： never to make
systems and theories of the Universe （as they are called） as if we had stood
by and looked on when time and space began to be； but to remember that
those who say they understand； show； simply by so saying； that they
understand nothing at all； that those who say they see； are sure to be blind；
while those who confess that they are blind； are sure some day to see。
All we can do is； to keep up the childlike heart； humble and teachable；
though we grew as wise as Newton or as Humboldt； and to follow； as good
Socrates bids us； Reason whithersoever it leads us； sure that it will never
lead us wrong； unless we have darkened it by hasty and conceited fancies
of our own； and so have become like those foolish men of old； of whom it
was said that the very light within them was darkness。 But if we love and
reverence and trust Fact and Nature； which are the will； not merely of
Madam How； or even of Lady Why； but of Almighty God Himself； then
we shall be really loving； and reverencing； and trusting God； and we shall
have our reward by discovering continually fresh wonders and fresh
benefits to man； and find it as true of science； as it is of this life and of the
life to come… …that eye hath not seen； nor ear heard； nor hath it entered into
the heart of man to conceive； what God has prepared for those who love
Him。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ I could not resist the temptation of quoting this splendid
generalisation from Dr。 Carpenter's Preliminary Report of the Dredging
Operations of H
